NIGER STATE DEPUTY GOVERNOR, SUPPORTERS DUMP PDP FOR APC

Niger State Deputy Governor, Ahmed Musa Ibeto and his teeming supporters have dumped the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ibeto who lost his bid to become PDP governorship candidate in the state will be received by APC’s presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari who is in the state today to campaign.

According to a source in the state government, Ibeto fell out with the state governor, Babangida Aliyu, after the latter refused to endorse him as the party’s governorship candidate.

Aliyu threw his weight behind Ahmed Nasko, who eventually emerged the candidate of the PDP for the February 28, 2015 general election.

Indeed, Ibeto told journalists that he was on his way to welcome Buhari at the Airport for the APC presidential campaign rally scheduled for Minna today.

Those that defected alongside the Deputy Governor include members of National Assembly, members of State’s House of Assembly, and some former commissioners and former local governments’ chairmen

According to him, the governorship primary was stage managed to ensure the emergence of Nasko.

“It is true we are defecting to APC because the primaries conducted were not in accordance wirth the PDP constitution,” said Ibeto who added that efforts by him and other aggrieved party members to get the intervention of the national leadership of the party was unsuccessful, hence their decision to join the APC.